Conducting research with BC Corrections

On this page

• Introduction
• Accessing BC Corrections data
• Research application process
• Research led by BC Corrections staff

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Introduction

The BC Corrections Research Application Committee is responsible for the review, approval and administrative oversight of all research projects undertaken within BC Corrections, including with the Adult Custody Division or Community Corrections Division. This process applies to the following types of research and research related activities:

• Requests to recruit individuals directly or indirectly in correctional centres or community corrections offices*
• Requests to survey/interview BC Corrections staff*
• Requests for BC Corrections data*
• Requests for research partners, including clients or staff
• Information seeking projects, program evaluations, and quality assurance projects

*A research application is required for requests to access BC Corrections data or to access staff or clients for primary data collection. For all other types of requests, please contact the Committee Chair directly at SGCorrectionsResearch@gov.bc.ca.

The Research Application Committee oversees both operational approvals, including a consideration of how research may impact staff or operational priorities, and data access approval. Either a Research Agreement or a Letter of Support (whereby no formal agreement is needed) must be in place prior to initiating any research related activities.

Accessing BC Corrections data

If you are interested in accessing BC Corrections data, please consult the Corrections reports, publications and data page to ensure that the data sought is not already publicly available.

• BC Corrections maintains a public dashboard which offers a 5-year snapshot of custody centre data disaggregated by year, custody center, or legal hold status (for example, sentenced or awaiting sentence) and by key demographics (for example, gender, Indigeneity, age)
• BC Corrections data is also publicly available on the BC Government’s Data Catalogue site at no cost. The catalogue includes 15 data sets specific to BC Corrections including demographics for both community and custody
• BC Corrections data can also be accessed through the BC Data Innovation Program, a government initiative that supports population-level analysis across ministries
• Note that health specific data for people in custody is distinct from BC Corrections data. Health data is managed by Correctional Health Services within BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services (BCMHSUS) of the Provincial Health Services Authority. If access to health data is required, a separate application to BCMHSUS is required. Please contact BCMHSUS_research@phsa.ca

Research application process

Research Application Committee meetings are held quarterly on the second Wednesday of January, April, July and October, or at the call of the Chair. New applications must be submitted three weeks in advance of the scheduled RAC meeting to ensure adequate time for the committee to process and review. Proposals are assessed and prioritized based on the following components:

1. Quality (for example, purpose and methodology of the proposed study are clearly described)
2. Alignment with operational goals of the BC Corrections’ Strategic Vision and within the current Research Agenda of the Performance, Research and Evaluation (PREv) unit (including ensuring that research does not duplicate work already underway)
3. Benefit(s) to BC Corrections or other stakeholders (for example, other branches, ministries and/orjustice partners)
4. Consideration of risk (to BC Corrections and/or the people under our supervision)
5. Practical considerations, including timelines and operational demands

Research proposals submitted for consideration must clearly describe the research objectives and methods. To ensure that the proposed research meets the above criteria and to access the Research Proposal Application, please contact the Committee Chair at SGCorrectionsResearch@gov.bc.ca.

Proposal guidelines can be found as an Appendix to the Research Application.

Common questions

Timeline

Note that the approval process can take approximately 4-6 months or longer, depending on the timing of when an application is submitted, the complexity of the research proposal, and the capacity of the research team. As such, we encourage early submissions.

Requests for study amendments or extensions

Applicants are required to submit an amendment request if the scope of the research covered by the Research Agreement has changed (for example, new research questions are added) or there are changes needed to other elements of the agreement (for example, the data is to be stored in a new location). Requests are reviewed at the quarterly Research Application Committee meetings and must be submitted at to the Committee Chair least one week in advance.

If the project is not complete within the approved period, applicants must:

1. Request an extension as part of the yearly progress report
2. Apply for a renewal of the ethics certificate from the appropriate ethics review board(s)
3. Submit the ethics certificate/official notification of ethics approval to the Research Application Committee once received

Research led by BC Corrections staff

BC Corrections strives to support staff in pursuing educational opportunities outside the terms of their employment. If you are a current BC Corrections employee looking to conduct research that involves access to BC Corrections data, staff, or clients, a formal research proposal application needs to be submitted as per the above process. Additionally, extra care must be taken to address any actual, perceived, or possible conflicts of interest. Please email SGCorrectionsResearch@gov.bc.ca or connect directly with the Research Manager of the Performance, Research and Evaluation Unit.

Language guidelines for research with BC Corrections

Language has the power to reinforce harmful stereotypes and perpetuate stigma. It is important to recognize the impact that language can have when working with marginalized populations, including individuals who are justice-involved. When conducting research with BC Corrections data or clients, researchers are encouraged to be conscientious in avoiding potentially dehumanizing language (for example, the use of the term inmate, felon, offender, sex offender) and instead use language that is person-centered (for example, person/individual in custody, individual who has experienced incarceration, individual convicted of a sexually motivated offence).

To support the adoption of continuously evolving language, language guidelines published by the Province of British Columbia and other organizations are provided below. This includes guidelines on appropriate language for content regarding Indigenous Peoples, and guidelines for data standards (for example, gender and sex, race-based data). Researchers wishing to access BC Corrections data or clients should consult these resources and consider the use of respectful, inclusive, and person-first language when submitting a research proposal and when speaking to research results.

• The Language Project | The Marshall Project
• Province of British Columbia | Guidelines to the Gender and Sex Data Standard (PDF, 384KB)
• Province of British Columbia | Writing Guide for Indigenous Content
• Province of British Columbia | Guidelines for Race-Based Data Standard (PDF, 570KB)
• CAMH | Words Matter